The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-18

heved she had naught TO say TO it, and was
kind to her agin as kind as they ever was,
| and that warn't much; but she was unaiSy,
and knew them too well TO think as they
| 'ud let Jim Kemp be. Whyever Dick
hadn't killed him there and then she could
not tell. But one night she We're TO bed,
| and she heard some come into the room
next; her room were but lean to, and they
| slept in the big room. And she heard
! deal Of Whispering, and then they took to
| drinking and their voices gets louder and
| louder, and she hears Kemp's name, and
| the night after next named, and back
from Weyhill Fair and 'a-nigh his gate
and ten on US, and the rest viii! be there
tomorrow, we four and they six, that's
ten And then they gets nOsier and Dick
| who always kept his head, hushed some one
| on 'em, and turned him into the shed, and
all was still. Nancy knew now what was
brewing. But how to get at JIM how to
| advertise he: He would be off to Weyhill
long afore she could get to he, and she
couldn't get out without going through the
room with Dick in it, through the win
| dow into the shed with the stranger there.
Not that they was strangers, for she
know'd their voices; they was of the Ports
mouth crew
''What should she do. how should she
save her lover? for he was her lover and
she know'd it. She know'd that, though
| she could never wed with he, she could
| never love another Mayhap there was
| sOm'at strange i'll her manners, for all she
| made as though she was cheerful like or
| may be it We're from his own knowing what
| was coming; anyhow Dick looked sharply
| after Nance all next day, and that day
| after too. 1t were a hot, dry summer, and
the days were long, and there was a full
moon that night, AMI no doubt that the
more convenient; not but what the Ded-
mans could make their way blindfold any
where over the country round, and all their
crew.
''Dick went off somewhere to = and
said, careless like as Nancy had best not
wait for he, and the old man had business
away, and would not be back till very late
mayhap, mayhap earlier. Nance waited
till he was gone, then she took her flint and
steel and fastened the door, and Went to the
shed and took the nag, they had only left
the old mare; she dtlna' wait to bride it,
but on she went as fast as the wind for HOl-
der Hill, over to the sou'west from here.
And she rode and rode and went up the hill,
up to the Beacon Point, and there was the
bonfire all laid ready, dry finder, and
she struck an struck and the third time she
got flame, and soon the beacon was blaZ-
ing and no mistake; and She rode and she
rode toward Breakdown until the poor beast
could go no longer, SO she got of and let
her go. And Nance walked and walked
on Breakdown, and she knew as if
she saw him that her trap had taken, that
Jim had the fire Holder, and in
stead of going home had turned of to- light
up Breakdown.
1T the war time, you See, and he
were keen for the cause, and the first
once before to help light the signal. And
she hurried ON and came up to he, and he
turned round and cried, why, Nancy,
| love- is it you? There's been some victory
| you may depend,' Fly, JIM fly as quick
as you can, down that way. No! not
| home, Be Off be off! away as far as you
| can go. Take your horse and go, They're
| after We to murder We, and lit the fire
| Holder to turn you from going home They
be waiting for you, and now may be they'll
| be following you up here. Give ME your
| coat and hat, Jim-see, I've none. I'm
| cold. And go, Jim-gO l can't go with
! you, Jim. GOod-by, lad! Oh, lad, love
| you, ladr' And the stupid, thick headed
fellow he was, he took off this long rid
ing coat AMI his SLOUGH hat and puts them
on her and takes her in his arms, and she
| gives him one kiss and sends him off. He
| steals down as quiet as "A mouse, untethers
| his nag, and off he goes London way.
| And Nance She stood with her arms
| folded, her face to the fire and her back TO
| the path her figure is up against
| the flames in IA uncertain kind of way. She
| was tall young Kemp; and she waited
| there To gain time for he-a decoy, we'll say.
| She We're half daZed with what she'd gone
| through and strange sort of waiting feel
| ing as KEEP her very still. A. last She hears
them coming and she never stirS. And
| Dick, from behind, without waiting min
ute, taking much a step for arter,
| fires straight at her back and She falls for
ward, and he fires again, and then they
| walked away, satisfied il Were Jim Kemp,
| rbaxr h.s nd th.yr
| thought of Nancy.
| ''Well, morning came, and as they went
| back and found the house empty they
| thought she'd given them the slip, and they
| laughed as how they had served her right;
they little knew how they had served her.
| They wasn't long a-laughing; the fires had
| made a bestirment and there they'd found
| Nancy Dedman-dcad, shot twice through
| the back. And when they brought her in
the old man fell down in fit, but Dick
| he said naught only when they said, Had
| Jim Kemp done this foul deed for his
| papers was in his pockets, Dick said, How
should ne know? He had allays told Nance
| to have naught to do with that devil
/ Kemp.
! There was an inquiry, but naught came
! of it. Old De,iman had another fit and
died, and Dick went over the seas they
! said. Farmer Kemp, young Jim as was,
never come back To settle. tie sold up and
| nobody would have knOw'd n word about
/ it only he come once, when lie was getting
| i'll years, To look at Nancy's grave to HaSle-
| mere.
| He told all as he know'd to the sexton.
! Mr.. Keeling and years after Dick came as
n stranger and asked for the grave of one
| Nancy Dedman, he had u fancy to
| Though he WAS an old gray man much be-
shaken, AMI with nauEht about he 10 speak
| of murder, Mr. Keeling, as was always one
| with two pair of eyes, determined ON seeing
| justice done. and he tracks the man To the
inn and brings the parsun, who was magis-
| trate into the bargain. But the parSon
| found broken down old man, and he
would not make any bcstir; it We're too
| long ago, he said. And afore Dick Dttiman
died he and the parSon were the best Of
friends, AMI from Dick parSon had it all.